Not to brag, but I have recently returned from a trip to the “happiest place on earth,” better known as Disneyland.
It’s a trip many parents dream of one day taking with their little one(s), and despite the horrible state of our Canadian dollar, we were blessed with the opportunity, although bittersweet.
For my six-year-old daughter and husband, the venture down to California was a first.
For myself, it was a trip down memory lane as I recalled all the magical memories spent with my own family when I was just a little girl.
But it was also a first in that I was able to see and do things from a completely different perspective than someone who isn’t tall enough to ride the Matterhorn.
Getting to enjoy all the ‘big kid’ rides was a thrill this time around, not to mention that the magical kingdom has doubled in size since I last visited oh, some 20-odd years ago. There’s a whole ‘nother land to discover just outside the gates of Disneyland at California Adventure Park, which is equally as exciting.
Now of course, Disneyland has a certain charm and nostalgia that no addition could even try to repeat, but I’ll admit, Adventure Park is pretty awesome! Plus, unlike Disneyland (which my husband claims is not the happiest place on earth because they don’t sell beer), you can enjoy a pint, glass of wine or even a margherita at the neighbouring park.
The new park has all the newer movie-themed areas, including Cars, A Bug’s Life and even The Little Mermaid. We even got a sneak peek at Disney’s newest movie, Zootopia (which comes out March 4 in a theatre near you).
Disney, on the other hand, has the traditional side of it all, including my daughter’s favourite (and almost every little girl’s favourite) the princesses.
We spent considerable time lining up to meet and pose with Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Ariel, Merida and of course Anna and Elsa (the newest royalty of Disney through Frozen fame).
I enjoyed tagging along with my daughter and seeing her eyes light up as she met her heroes. I was also amused to discover, while waiting at the princess castle, the cute name some Disney staff have for this area – the princess petting zoo.
Of course there was Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto too, also top character favourites.
Between the characters, rides, parade and fireworks we had a blast at Disneyland and California Adventure Park.
But to be honest, it wasn’t the only highlight of our California adventure.
Renting a car allowed us to explore a bit, even venturing out to the Santa Monica Pier and Olvera Street (the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles with booths and shops offering a Mexican flavour). We also drove down to the ocean to explore the tide pools, soak up the sun and breathe in the fresh salty air.
But one of the most important activities we took part in was sprinkling a few ashes in Disneyland – those of my mom.
Our trip wouldn’t have been possible without her.
Even though I would give anything to have her back versus going to Disneyland, I am grateful for all the new memories made as well as the past memories that were sparked of the family vacation that my mom saved up all her tips (from waitressing) to take my brother, dad and I on years ago. It was almost as if I was able to reconnect with my mom being back in those places, which is priceless.
